The UK government has been slammed by opposition and local leaders in the north after announcing that parts of HS2 construction will be delayed by two years.
The Department for Transport (DFT) revealed yesterday that due to the rail project, once again, coming up against “soaring costs”, the construction of a number of HS2 sections are to be pushed back by another two years.
The delay will affect the north west section of HS2, from Birmingham to Crewe, and then from Crewe to us here in Manchester.
“We have seen significant inflationary pressure and increased project costs,” Transport Secretary Mark Harper said yesterday, “and so we will rephase construction by two years, with an aim to deliver high-speed services to Crewe and the North West as soon as possible after accounting for the delay in construction.”
HS2, which has the full name High Speed 2, was originally intended to connect London with Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds.
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The UK government has announced that parts of HS2 construction will be delayed by two years / Credit: HS2
The leg to Leeds has since been scrapped in November 2021, but work on the first phase of the project between London and Birmingham is now well under way, with a part of the line due to open by 2033, despite the fact the project has faced delays and mounting concerns over the exact route, and its potential environmental impact.
While a budget of £55.7 billion for the whole of HS2 was set in 2015, this was made before the Leeds leg was cancelled, and the estimated cost of HS2 was therefore set between £72 billion and £98 billion at 2019 prices.
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A report published last October found it was unlikely that the £40.3 billion target for the first section of the line would be met.
A senior figure at the DfT warned back in January that ”tough decisions” would lie ahead for the scheme.
And now, the government has confirmed it will be “prioritising HS2’s initial services” between Old Oak Common in west London and Birmingham Curzon Street in order to save money – which means the completion window for the first part of the scheme has now shifted from 2032 to 2036, while services will not extend to Manchester until the 2040s.
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The rail project is said to have been hit by “soaring costs” / Credit: HS2
Local leaders have previously said that the wrong HS2 solution for Greater Manchester could “damage” and have a wider impact on the north, an now the announcement of the two-year delays has seen the government be hit with even more backlash from opposition parties, and local authority figures across the North West.
Labour said the latest delay meant the North having to “pay the price” for government failures.
“Tens of thousands of jobs, and billions in economic growth are dependent on this project,” Shadow Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, stated.
“The North is yet again being asked to pay the price for staggering Conservative failure. Conservative chaos and chronic indecision is holding back jobs, growth and costing the taxpayer. This is the biggest project in Europe and delays pile costs up in the long run.
“Ministers now need to come clean on precisely how much their indecision will cost taxpayers and the North.”
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Also responding to the “disappointing” delays annoucement, Lord McLoughlin, Chair of Transport for the North, said: “I was reassured by the Transport Secretary that we are still getting HS2 to Manchester, however, it needs to be understood whether or not these cost savings can be realised while still achieving the same desired outcome and conditional outputs.
In response to the #HS2 announcement by Secretary of State @Mark_J_Harper, our Chair @Patrick4Dales said we must transform the #North by building both HS2 and NPR in full.
— Transport for the North (@Transport4North) March 9, 2023
“The government needs to avoid being penny wise and pound foolish, as delays don’t necessarily lead to savings, and in fact can drive costs upwards.”
He added that HS2 must be delivered in full in order to “transform the North”, adding that the rail project, together with the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) project, can “unlock the North’s economy from the existing position of poor infrastructure that has held it back.”
“It is the communities and businesses across the North of England who are suffering most by any delay or inaction in delivering the scheme,” he concluded.
Featured Image – HS2
News
Race Across The World star Jo Gardiner dies just one year after co-star son
Daisy Jackson
A Race Across The World star from Manchester has died just one year after her son and co-star tragically passed away.
Jo Gardiner, who starred on the hit BBC series back in 2020, died after a ‘long and courageous battle’ with cancer, her family has said.
The 61-year-old physiotherapist appeared on the second season of the travel competition, racing across Latin America with her son Sam Gardiner, who was just 19 at the time.
The pair became a fan favourite as they bonded over their travels, and Sam gained confidence to explore despite his ADHD.
Tragically, Sam passed away last May at the age of 24, following a vehicle collision in Gatley.
Paying tribute to Jo, Studio Lambert and the BBC described her as ‘the matriarch of the Race Across The World cast family’.
In the tribute, they also sent ‘deepest and heartfelt sympathies to Jo’s son Charlie’.
Jo’s family shared in a statement: “She had a rare gift for making everyone around her feel more alive. She lived fully, fiercely and never did anything by halves.
“She was blessed with countless friends, drawn to her extraordinary magnetism. Somehow, each one felt as though they were among her very best.
Jo Gardiner, from Manchester, starred on season two of Race Across The World. Credit: BBC
“To us, she was more than all of these things. She was our family, our joy, our safe place and our absolute treasure.
“We know how deeply Jo was loved, and we take comfort in knowing that her laughter, her courage, her kindness and her wonderfully outrageous spirit will live on in the many people whose lives she touched.
“As we grieve, we ask for privacy, but we also ask everyone who knew and loved Jo to do exactly what she would have wanted: tell the funny stories, raise a glass, have an adventure, laugh loudly and live life to the full.”
Studio Lambert and the BBC shared: “On behalf of the Studio Lambert production team, the BBC and the whole Race Across The World cast, we offer our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to Jo’s son Charlie, and her wider family and friends.
“Following the tragic death of Jo’s son Sam last year, we paid tribute to how integral Sam and Jo had been to series two. Millions of people remembered their transformative journey across Latin America in 2020 and we hold that memory in our hearts as we fondly recall Jo’s passion for life, her kindness, her strength, and above all her utter devotion to Sam and her family.
“At the time of filming, Sam described his mum as amazing – and that is how we will always remember her.
“Jo became the matriarch of the Race Across the World cast family, she leaves a lasting legacy in the many lives that she touched, both through the series and beyond. It was a privilege to share her story and she will be deeply missed.”
Jimmy Bradbury, Reuben Haycocks, Aoife Anson O’Connell, and Paddy Murphy – better known together as Westside Cowboy – formed back in 2023 when they were students at the Royal Northern College of Music, so while they may not all be from Manchester, they definitely have the spirit of our city at the heart of everything they do.
After playing in different bands across the city throughout their student years, the four-piece joined forces to create Westside Cowboy – an indie rock collective credited with self-coining the genre of ‘Britainicana’.
Put simply, Britainicana is a cultural concept that mixes the hazy, mythic feel of American country and folk, with the sound of raw British punk, indie rock, and small-town life.
Westside Cowboy have released their debut album, It Goes On / Credit: Clementine Schniedermann (Press Shots – Supplied)
If that sounds like your cup of tea, then you’ll be pleased to know that Westside Cowboy have released their debut album, It Goes On, to the world today (21 August).
And the reception from critics, arguably, couldn’t be better.
Prior to the release of their debut album, the band had released two EPs, including So Much Country ‘Till We Get There in January earlier this year, and had started to make a name for themselves with their popular debut single ‘I’ve Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You)’ in 2024.
They went onto make even further waves when they supported equally-rising American rock band Geese on their UK and Irish tour back in March – with many fans calling it one of the best support and main act combinations in some time.
Three singles from their debut album were shared with the world ahead of its release – ‘Kick Stones (The Boys)’ came first, followed by ‘Pin Up Boys’ and ‘Dobro’.
So, it’s fair to say the anticipation for album was high… and if the reviews are anything to go by (which we think they are), it looks like the band has very much delivered what they set out to achieve.
Westside Cowboy’s debut album It Goes On is now available to stream, or you can purchase a physical copy in a range of formats from their website here.
Emily Sergeant -
10th March 2023 
